Pillow Talk: Avoid Travel Insomnia with this Trick

Get your mind out of the gutter. This isn’t about the “pillow talk” you’re thinking of. It’s really just about pillows and one of my favourite tricks for getting a good night’s sleep on the fly. If you’re anything like me, unfamiliar environments can really mess up your ability to sleep while traveling. And let’s not forget that time and climate changes also play a hand in nasty travel insomnia.

Getting enough sleep while traveling is the single most important factor in helping you adjust to an unfamiliar environment. So why is it so hard to get a good sleep while traveling, and what can we do to help this?

It’s a hot topic that many have written on. Some will tell you to drink lots of water and avoid alcohol at night. Others will tell you to listen to tracks of soothing music or white noise. And then you have those who swear by meditation rituals and breathing exercises.

The list goes on and on. And while a lot of the advice out there is great, it doesn’t work for everyone. Like myself for instance, and others like me.

A Victim of Travel Insomnia:

To give you a bit of background information, I’ve always had difficulties sleeping in hotels and new environments. Especially on the first night while traveling. I’d often wake up several times, only to stay awake for hours while my mind races through useless thoughts.

I especially hated not being able to sleep while traveling for business. Conducting my meetings and struggling to keep my eyes open was really painful to do. And overdosing on coffee? Well it only made things worse.

Thankfully, that’s all in the past because of what I’m about to share with you.

The Trick to Overcoming Travel Insomnia:

Essential oil-based pillow spray!

I told you this was just about pillows. Well sort of…

Before I tried this, I thought that it was all a hoax. But now I swear by it. It really does help me sleep while traveling. A few sprays on my hotel’s pillows, and I’m out like a light. Drifting off into a deep slumber I go. Travel insomnia no more!

Essential oil pillow sprays have increasingly improved my sleep and travel experiences. In fact, I even use some pillow sprays at home to catch deeper zzz’s.

On the plus side, I also got my husband addicted to the stuff. He’s a non-believer of using any kind of substance for promoting sleep. Then again, he’s usually the first one to doze off in bed.

But being on the fly A LOT (perhaps even more than me), he now carries his own lavender oil pillow spray. “His own”, meaning that he took mine. Need I say more?

How Essential Oil can Promote Sleep while Traveling:

Lavender, Vetiver and Bergamont are all essential oils that are made up of compounds rich in relaxing properties. These compounds naturally target the body’s nervous system and aim at calming it. Hence, why such oils are used in many natural products for promoting deep sleep… Like pillow sprays.

Although sleep promoting oils can’t actually cure insomnia, their relaxing properties play a huge part in helping you fall asleep. And more importantly of course, staying asleep, even in unfamiliar and new environments.

Additionally, essential oils can also be consumed internally. A few drops in a cup of decaffeinated tea works wonders for me!

Travel Insomnia Isn’t Fun and Hotels Know it too:

Going back to pillow sprays, there’s really nothing more exciting to me than finding a little bottle in my hotel room.

In some of my most recent travels, I came across 2 hotels and a Bed & Breakfast Inn that had me covered. I truly love that more and more hotels are tapping into the most fundamental needs of globetrotters and business travelers.

I first learned about essential oil pillows sprays at theJW Marriott Desert Ridgein Phoenix, AZ. After a few great days at the resort, the JW sent me off with an amazing parting gift. My first ever lavender oil pillow spray from theRevive Spa Herb Garden Collection. On a side note, this is the pillow spray that my husband claims as his own. It’s that good!

My second experience with a similar product was at theWestin Los Angeles Airport. I found a little roll-on bottle of Westin’s Sleep Well Lavender Balm on the night table. The balm is strategically made to be rolled on to your pulse points for a calming effect. Although not a pillow spray, the little bottle of sleep potion works like magic on me.

And just last week, I came across another great product at the Sheridan House Bed & Breakfastin Williams, AZ. There was a travel size bottle of Elemis Quiet Mind Pillow & Linen Spray sitting on the bed. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find this exact pillow spray online. But, another fantastic option is: This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray.

DIY Essential Oil Pillow Spray:

After all this “pillow talk”, I’m leaving you with an effortless DIY pillow spray recipe:

Mix all the ingredients in a small jar. Using a funnel, pour the mixture into your travel size spray bottle, and voilà! You’ve made your own essential oil pillow spray that you can bring with you on your travels.

So here’s to restful nights and pillow talk… I mean pillow sprays!

Did you like this post? Let me know in the comments section or by sharing it on your social media accounts! Want more tips and tricks? Subscribe to my blog and get my posts by email. Don’t forget to follow me on facebook, intagram and twitter!

Hey Sam, I’m so glad that this was a useful article for you. Like you, I’ve had lavender oil lying around and I didn’t do much with it. Now, not only do I use it to cure my travel insomnia, I also use it on my pressure points when I get pressure headaches. I get a lot of them when the weather changes, and lavender and mint oil work like a charm.

I have been using lavender oil on my pillow for a few years – a few drops and it helps me relax and sleep sweet. Definitely agree you can use it on travel or even on just on nights when you want a good nights rest.

We have a trip coming up and the time difference is significant – I need to get me some of this! I don’t get to sleep on airplanes or airports so getting enough rest and sleep when I get to the hotel is important for me to enjoy my vacation. Thanks for the recommendation!

Hi Joline, I’m so glad that you found this useful. I know exactly how you feel. The ones that I have listed all work great, you can get the “This Works” pillow spray at Sephora for convenience! I hope it helps you, have an awesome vacation!

This is Glam TravelGram

This travel blog is dedicated to the modern woman seeking inspiration to make traveling a lifestyle. It's a place where I share my love and passion for adventure and glamorous travel. Follow me for travel advice and a peak into my experiences and everyday life around the world.

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